1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communications device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of optimizing the power saving in a wireless communications device.
2. Description of Related Art
As more and more current electronic gadgets become mobile, demand for mobile or wireless internet accesses anywhere and anytime increases. Accordingly, wireless internet or intranet accesses may surpass the traditional wired internet access in a very near future. In cities that offer a city-wide free or very cheap wireless internet access, such as a hot spot, the future may have been realized earlier. People with a laptop, personal data aid (PDA) or even a wireless mobile phone can access the internet via a mobile telecommunications networks, wireless local area network (WLAN) access points such as IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth. Although the mobile telecommunications networks may provide the mobile terminals with a consistent, extensive coverage for the internet access, it may be still more expensive and slower than using the WLAN or Bluetooth. As long as the user has a prearranged subscription to the hot spots, the user of the mobile terminal such as the laptop, the mobile phone or PDA may access the internet with a relatively high communication speed. Accordingly, the mobile terminal using WLAN may provide the user with cheaper cost for data and/or voice communication and faster, higher data rate than the regular mobile terminal using the mobile telecommunications networks.
Although the WLAN offers the faster communication speed in comparison with that of mobile telecommunications network, it has several shortcomings. First, because the service area of the WLAN is relatively small when compared to that of the mobile telecommunications network service. Next, the mobile terminal may have to periodically scan the network channel to detect the WLAN hot spot or access point when the mobile terminal should move from one hot spot to another one or move outside of the hot spot. As the mobile terminal may have to constantly check if it is within the hot spot using its radio transceiver, the power consumption of the mobile terminal may substantially increase. Since the most mobile terminals are battery-powered, the reduction of the battery life can undercut the effectiveness of the true mobility of the mobile terminal. If the user does not want the mobile terminal to automatically scan the WLAN cell or coverage area, the user may have to manually select the WLAN communication when he or she needs it. With this strategy, the use of the WLAN capable mobile terminal is not automatic and not user-friendly.